1940s tilt hat, from sad to Oo-La-La!

I recently found a 1940s tilt fuchsia hat just tossed in a corner at an antique shop. I took a close look to see if it would be a candidate for placement in  The Vintage Hat Shop.

I could see that it had good "bones" and a unique structure. Actually, I knew with a bit of work it could be a treasure!
I put it on my mannequin, Jo, for a good look--

  I never like to remove vintage veils but sometimes they just aren't repairable or attractive. Removal is the only option. So I got out my trusty seam-ripper and with the utmost care removed the velvet dotted veil.

The result is a striking tilt--a 1940s classic hat. The matching hat pin hardly was visible before, now it is the centerpiece of the forward toy tilt. 

Placed on the head at a jaunty tilt, the vintage hat exudes drama, elegance and a touch of class!

1940s fuchsia tilt

 


  Now I would say that is a hat with a load of  Oo-La-La!  Wouldn't you?!

Crochet your own 1940s tilt hat. Really??!

Tilt hats are among my favorite hats but I had not considered that many of them were hand crocheted in the 1940s. Not only did women crochet hats but purses to match.
Take a look at the styles offered in the Cordet Hat and Bag pattern book. No date is listed but the styles look to be from the mid 40s.

Happy Birthday Julia Child

This cake is for you, Julia Child. Happy 100th Birthday. Not only did we bake a cake in your honor, we all wore hats (1948 style).

Vintage 1940s Hats at the Tea Party

Now, doesn't this look like a fun party from the 1940s? I love that each hat is a unique style.
But I wonder what is going on with the gal on the far right!  It looks like she forgot both her hat and her gloves.

Vintage hats --1940s tilt-- the backband

One of the most popular hat styles in the 1940s was the forward tilt. Usually the attention is drawn to the front of the toy tilt hats--adorned with ribbons, flowers or feathers. But there were a variety of materials and styles used in the back to keep the vintage tilts forward on the head.
Take a look at a few of the examples--

The forward front tilt of the 1940s and WW2 made for a perky and classy style!